Book Reviews

Dune Messiah (Dune, #2) by Frank Herbert

2018-07-10 Dune Messiah felt disjointed and directionless, with most chapters being nothing more than characters in a room talking about nothing much of substance. Any sense of conflict tended to be vague: Paul thought he could see the future, only to be surprised by everything; Alia thought she could see the future, only to be surprised by everything. A book as exceptional as Dune was... Continue reading

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

2018-07-04 Oh. So I ended up reading The Hobbit. I recently discovered that my original paperback had disappeared sometime over the past 30 years – however, my mother-in-law sent me a hardback they had lying around, and I kind of just picked it up. It’s like stepping into a comfortable pair of slippers. I said before that LOTR is one of those books you have... Continue reading

Cordelia’s Honor (Vorkosigan Omnibus, #1) by Lois McMaster Bujold

2018-06-28 I wasn’t so sure about the first novel in this Omnibus, Shards of Honor – there were a couple of features that undermined enjoyment of the story for me. However, the second one, Barrayar, really ramped up the tension nicely. In the end I felt as thought I’d read a familiar story through a refreshingly unique and interesting perspective. Rating: 5/5 Continue reading

Shards of Honour (Vorkosigan Saga, #1) by Lois McMaster Bujold

2018-06-24 An enjoyable and interesting space opera, mostly focused on the relationship between Cordelia and Aral, with most of the plot occurring as exposition. There were some nice details and story developments, but nothing particularly insightful or profound, which was a surprise considering the reputation of this series. It lost a star for the sexual threat scene, which seemed more like a gratuitous author fantasy... Continue reading

The Event (The Survivors, #1) by Nathan Hystad

2018-06-18 An enjoyable novel with some great plot elements and a blistering pace. The inclusion of Carey was a show-stealer that kept the story nicely grounded. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that toward the end it became a little too seasoned for my taste – but not enough to put me off wanting to find out what happens next with this series. Rating: 4/5 Continue reading

Goblins at the Gates by Ellis L. Knox

2018-06-11 Another enjoyable novel from Knox, though the focus on immediacy takes away from depth. A great attention to historical detail, though, and some of the character interplay is great. Overall, there are more strengths than weaknesses to this story, but it’s probably going to be enjoyed the most by those with a niche interest in fantasy, Roman and Byzantine history. Rating: 4/5 Continue reading

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

2018-05-26 The first problem with this book is that we know that Charles de Gaulle was not assassinated in 1963, so that kills any immediate tension. What compounds the issue is that the story is written in an Omniscient voice, which keeps the reader distant from the characters involved. In fact, it’s not until two-thirds of the way into the book that the French police... Continue reading

Hard Road (Jon Reznick #1) by J.B. Turner

2018-05-12 Very much in the vein of Lee Child, but not so well-developed. The positives: – fast pacing, which throws you into the story and doesn’t let go– peril and stakes continue to grow, certainly for the first half of the book– some great research, making the investigative side feel very well realized The negatives: – the main character lacks personality and a sense of... Continue reading